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Waking up from the hangover of England’s World Cup campaign? Here’s what you missed.

Cuts could still happen at the local level

Budget and benefits

All benefits, except pensions, will rise in line with the Consumer Price Index measure of inflation, which excludes most housing costs, rather than Retain Price Index. CPI is usually about 1% lower meaning benefits will rise slower in future.

Paul Burstow MP, Minister for Care Services, advised that no grants for adult social care would be cut in 2010/11. The Carers Grant remains unring-fenced although each local authority has an amount identified within its’ budget as its’ share of the £256m national Carers’ Grant from the Dept of Health. £20m will be reinvested in respite for disabled children from what would have been invested in the now scrapped Child Trust funds for disabled children, and this will be ongoing annually.

However, because these grants are not ring-fenced local authorities could use some of the funds to cover shortfalls in other areas of their funding where there have been cuts. So cuts could still happen at the local level but it would be madness to cut support for carers – see an earlier post. Sir David Nicholson, CEO NHS England, has recognised this whilst saying that the NHS should use its funding to cover shortfalls in social care.

What’s happening with the pledges on carers?

The previous Minister for Care Services, Phil Hope, requested that Strategic Health Authorities scrutinise what PCTs are doing to support carers. The new Minister, Paul Burstow MP, is currently analysing information from SHAs.

encourage the NHS to do more to identify and respond to carers’ needs earlier to prevent ill-health

improve information, advice and support to help carers stay in or get back to work if they are able and willing

refresh the Carers’ Strategy as it only taken partial steps to improve support for carers

However, the recently revised NHS Operating Framework for 2010/11 does not increase carers as a priority for the NHS, but does ask PCTs to publish how they are implementing the Dementia Strategy. Why can’t they do this for the Carers’ Strategy?

So there should be a lot for MPs to talk about during their debate on carers on 1st July. Kick off is 14:30 in Westminster Hall. Let’s hope there’s something to cheer about.